Uroptychus, HENDERSON, 1888

Martin, Joel W. & Haney, Todd A., 2005, Decapod crustaceans from hydrothermal vents and cold seeps: a review through 2005, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 145 (4), pp. 445-522 : 482

GENUS UROPTYCHUS HENDERSON, 1888

Remarks: Uroptychus is a deep-sea genus of chirostylids now known to be widely distributed in Atlantic and Pacific deep reef areas. The original report ( Henderson, 1888) was based on specimens collected during the Challenger Expedition, with specimens collected from 15–734 fathoms (up to 1398 m). Shortly afterwards, Benedict (1902) reported material from slightly greater depths of 163–805 fathoms (310–1533 m). The genus was reported from hydrothermal vents for the first time by Baba & de Saint Laurent (1992), who described two new species from the North Fiji basin. Baba & Williams (1998) added a third vent species. The relatively recent descriptions of these three ventassociated species have extended the depth range to 2750 m.

Uroptychus sp. Tunnicliffe, McArthur & McHugh (1998) noted a species of Uroptychus from the North Fiji and Lau basins. It is not yet clear whether these represent records of an undescribed species or additional sightings of one of the known species listed below.

UROPTYCHUS BICAVUS BABA & DE SAINT LAURENT, 1992

Type locality: south-western Pacific Ocean , North Fiji Basin, active chimney ‘ Mussel Valley’; 18°50′S, 173°29′W; 2750 m .

Known range: Known only from the type locality.

Material: type locality; STARMER II sta. 14, Nautile dive 18; 13 July 1989. MNHN Ga 2350 (holotype male) ( Baba & de Saint Laurent, 1992; Chevaldonné & Olu, 1996).